Carpe Diem vs. St. Mary

What I Did
I watched a presentation concerning the rapid growth of mobile use for the internet and the impact it will have on education.

How prepared are you to engage in each type of learning?

I have always found it easier to learn by doing rather than being “spoon-fed” information to only spit it out for an exam. With the Carpe Diem method too much relies on what the information is about, how much time is provided, and the individual’s own learning interests and style. You are going to get it or not get it. With the St. Mary’s approach mistakes are useful learning opportunities and there are many ways to achieve a goal. With more tools and technology comes more ways to explore and learn, so why continue drilling students for half the day? Facts look the same on the computer screen as they do on the board.

What would you suggest teachers in your field adopt based on current knowledge of mobile/wireless devices?
Art teachers should adopt the use of the internet as a major tool for creative purposes, which I believe most have done. They should learn as much as they can about technology available for art to expose students to the many options in this digital age. Teachers should adopt learning networks online with their students to promote team-work, group learning, and sharing of information so that students can receive information and give information to others. Incorporating different creative apps, similar to the Picasso activity previously explored in this blog, would also increase students’ motivation as they experience fun and are able to practice their creative freedom.

All teachers need to start adopting smart devices into the classroom. Rules are placed for students to put their phones away or not enter social networking sites in school. Why not use these as learning tools if the rules are going to be broken anyway? Use students’ interests and technology skills to their advantage.

What would you recommend in terms of a school wide initiative to improve teaching and learning at this point if you were in a position to do so?
Many Virginia schools could use a new initiative for teachers because it is often about test scores and numbers when the S.O.L.s are concerned. Though there are no S.O.L. exams for art, students keep that same mindset that their score is the most important thing, not the process and what they learn; if the number is lower than they would like then they have failed. This should not be the case. Like the presentation stressed, the 21st century is about problem solving and coming up with new solutions. It is about the process. If students are shown the destination automatically, how will they be able to understand how they got there or the reasoning behind it? It would be like getting art students to do paint-by-numbers all the time. The school-wide initiative I would like to see would be a new, exploratory learning process for students that involves group cooperation, use of as many tools and technology as possible, and that is project-oriented.

A mixture of the 2 models (Carpe Diem vs St. Marys) is probably in everyone’s future. How do you see executing your version of the blend in your field?
I would propose introducing the information/content in a way that allows students to be self-motivated. They can explore the aspects they find most interesting. Guide them through a specific activity by identifying a specific problem or question. They are presented with tools to discover the answer. They are able to experiment and inquire in different ways. The internet and available software, such as Adobe Creative Suite, Apps, etc., are the tools.

While the students have had time to “play” with the ideas presented, the Carpe Diem approach to learning might come in handy. Sometimes background knowledge needs to be given and understood to see the bigger picture. For example, an art student isn’t going to understand an art period/movement without first knowing the meaning of the terms associated.

When students need to be evaluated tests often take the approach of students regurgitating the correct answers on paper, which can show the teacher that the students do know information. However, students should be evaluated in different ways to cater to different learning styles with projects, written exams, and other activities. Students can be presented with a new problem and demonstrate what they have learned by using the same skills they used before to solve the new problem.